You have been chosen as lead counsel in the trial of the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir. He is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. To be an effective attorney, you must research the situation and look for arguments for why President Omar al-Bashir should be found guilty. In the end, you will write your closing argument which must include details of what happened and evidence as to why he is guilty.
For the next few days you will be doing a WebQuest on the genocide in Darfur to gather your evidence. What is happening in Darfur is very sad and scary. Please let me know if you feel uncomfortable about anything you read or see on this quest. I would like you to journal about your feelings and what you are learning on your blog.
You need to go through and study each link in the WebQuest. There is no reason to hurry! You have two days of class to learn about Darfur. If you rush, I will only send you back to do more. Even though I have provided the links for you, YOU are in charge of your own learning. You can't let the people of Darfur down!
Where is Darfur, Sudan?
To begin your research, you must learn about Sudan and it's history as well as what constitutes genocide .
Where in Africa is Sudan? Play this Africa Map Game to find out and to practice the other countries of Africa. How many do you know?
Conflict in Darfur
Read this article from the National Holocaust Museum Website to find out what is happening in Darfur.
Destruction in Google Earth
Sometimes actually seeing the destruction first hand in Google Earth is a great way to see the extent of the damage. Plus you will get a better idea of how many villages have been burned and destroyed. You can also see the refugee camps and how many people are there. The sheer numbers are overwhelming.
Steps for setting up Google Earth to view Darfur:
Open Google Earth.
Once launched, go to the layers list and expand the Global Awareness layer.
Check USHMM: Crisis in Darfur.
Type "Darfur, Sudan" in the Fly To box.
There are photos and testimonials so take your time to read and look at them.
If you are not using one of our school computers, you will also need to download and open the
Play the Darfur is Dying Game to experience what the people of Darfur are going through to survive.
Darfur Drawn
Kids in refugee camps have drawn pictures of what happened to them during the conflicts. Check out these photos of their drawings . Can you imagine what life has been like for them?
Reflection and Inspiration
Now that you have learned about the conflict in Sudan, you must write your closing argument. What evidence is there against the President? How have his actions affected the people of Darfur and the world? Remember to use your persuasive writing strategies. You have to convince the jury that he is guilty!
to come up with your main ideas. Copy the contents of this paper onto your blog and fill in the information.
Then, you will perform your closing arguments in class!
Once you have finished your blog post, you will create a PSA in Animoto to help spread the word about what is going on in Darfur. We will post these on our blogs and will share the best ones with the entire middle school.
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Table of Contents
All Rise, Court is in Session
You have been chosen as lead counsel in the trial of the President of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir. He is charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. To be an effective attorney, you must research the situation and look for arguments for why President Omar al-Bashir should be found guilty. In the end, you will write your closing argument which must include details of what happened and evidence as to why he is guilty.For the next few days you will be doing a WebQuest on the genocide in Darfur to gather your evidence. What is happening in Darfur is very sad and scary. Please let me know if you feel uncomfortable about anything you read or see on this quest. I would like you to journal about your feelings and what you are learning on your blog.
You need to go through and study each link in the WebQuest. There is no reason to hurry! You have two days of class to learn about Darfur. If you rush, I will only send you back to do more. Even though I have provided the links for you, YOU are in charge of your own learning. You can't let the people of Darfur down!
Where is Darfur, Sudan?
To begin your research, you must learn about Sudan and it's history as well as what constitutes genocide .Where in Africa is Sudan? Play this Africa Map Game to find out and to practice the other countries of Africa. How many do you know?
Conflict in Darfur
Read this article from the National Holocaust Museum Website to find out what is happening in Darfur.Destruction in Google Earth
Sometimes actually seeing the destruction first hand in Google Earth is a great way to see the extent of the damage. Plus you will get a better idea of how many villages have been burned and destroyed. You can also see the refugee camps and how many people are there. The sheer numbers are overwhelming.Steps for setting up Google Earth to view Darfur:
- Open Google Earth.
- Once launched, go to the layers list and expand the Global Awareness layer.
- Check USHMM: Crisis in Darfur.
- Type "Darfur, Sudan" in the Fly To box.
There are photos and testimonials so take your time to read and look at them.If you are not using one of our school computers, you will also need to download and open the
Darfur is Dying
Play the Darfur is Dying Game to experience what the people of Darfur are going through to survive.
Darfur Drawn
Kids in refugee camps have drawn pictures of what happened to them during the conflicts. Check out these photos of their drawings . Can you imagine what life has been like for them?Reflection and Inspiration
Now that you have learned about the conflict in Sudan, you must write your closing argument. What evidence is there against the President? How have his actions affected the people of Darfur and the world? Remember to use your persuasive writing strategies. You have to convince the jury that he is guilty!Please use
Use the
Then, you will perform your closing arguments in class!
Once you have finished your blog post, you will create a PSA in Animoto to help spread the word about what is going on in Darfur. We will post these on our blogs and will share the best ones with the entire middle school.
Grading